10 tips and tricks for a comfy flight

With how easy it is to travel nowadays, most of us do it at least once or twice a year. For some, possibly even more, especially with quite a number of long weekends available this year.

After all, travelling is fun. We get to explore new places, cultures and sights and experience new things. We can meet new people and learn about how the rest of the world lives. It is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, and helps us recharge and reduce our stress.

But while all that is true, the trip itself may not be as enjoyable. Unless you are flying business or first class, you will be stuck in a narrow seat for hours.

When you are restricted and in the same position for a long period, it will make you feel numb and stiff, and feel your lower back getting achy. Your feet may also start feeling swollen and cramped because the lack of mobility and limited legroom may cause poor circulation. In extreme cases, this may even cause you to be at risk of blood clots.

Ever noticed how your skin and lips feel extra dry when you step out of a plane? That’s because of the dry cabin air, which also makes our eyes tired and watery, straining our vision.

It’s also hard to sleep because you just can’t find the right angle that allows you to rest.

These are just some of the things that make flying a less pleasant experience. But since the benefits of travelling far outweigh these inconveniences, we just have to find ways to make it better.

Here are 10 ways to make your flight more comfortable.

1. Keep your body moving

Sitting in a cramped airplane seat for hours can cause soreness to your muscles, particularly those connected to your hips such as your lower back, buttocks, and thighs. This could also result in poor blood circulation which can also cause pain.

Mitigate this by standing up every so often and taking short walks up and down the aisle to get the blood going.

Do some simple stretches that you can do from your seat, such as:

With your feet flat on the floor, about hip-width apart, lift your heels up while keeping the balls of your feet on the floor. Repeat this for about 10 times. You can also reverse this, leaving your heels on the floor instead.

Lift one leg and stretch it in front of you, rotating it clockwise 10 times then counterclockwise 10 times. Do the same with your other leg.

Stretch your right arm toward the left, locking it in with your left hand behind your right elbow, gently pressing on your elbow to stretch out your arm. Hold this position for 10 counts, then switch to the other side. This stretch is best done when there’s no one beside you, as you may hit them while stretching!

Lift your right arm up then with your left hand, hold your elbow and pull gently to one side. Hold this position for 10 counts, then switch to the other side.

Bow your head down, and roll your head from side to side, holding the position for about eight counts on each side.

2. Wear compression stockings

Tiredness and aches in your legs and feet happens when blood flow slows down in the leg area. These special elastic garments work by gently squeezing your legs to move blood up, leaving less blood pooling at your feet.

3. Rest with an eye mask

It’s hard to rest when there are distractions and lights around you. To make sure you fully block out all the light and get a restful sleep, bring an eye mask along with you.

Pamper your eyes even more with an eye mask that comes with massage functions, such as OSIM’s uMask, which can further help to relieve eye fatigue and strain.

4. Bring your own neck pillow

For those of us who don’t have the luxury of having the fully flat beds of business and first class, finding the right position to sleep on a flight is a constant struggle. The pillows provided by the airline don’t really provide enough support and more often than not, just slips out from behind your head.

Instead, bring the OSIM uSnooz Neck Pillow, which is designed to conform to the contours of your head and neck. Its memory foam provides ample support so you can rest peacefully on the plane.

5. Fight dehydration inside and out

Because the air inside the cabin is very low in humidity, it dries out our skin, eyes, mouth, throat, and even our lungs.

This is why you may feel yourself getting cracked lips, or very dry skin on your face, or even extra thirsty.

To combat this, make sure to drink enough water throughout the flight to keep you hydrated. Experts recommend at least 8 ounces of water for each hour you are up in the air.

You can also bring along a small bottle of your favourite moisturiser or even a mask to care for your skin. Remember to pack your lip balm, body lotion, eye creams and eye drops as well.

For the ladies who applied makeup, bring a non-rinse makeup remover. Keeping your face bare will allow the hydration benefits of the mask and moisturiser to work better, leaving you more refreshed.

To recover from the plane’s dry air, it may be good to use an air humidifier such as OSIM’s uMist Dream once you’re back on land to moisturise your skin, soothe your throat and relieve any breathing difficulties you may have encountered.

6. Keep yourself comfortably warm

It can be quite chilly inside the plane and the thin blanket provided by the airline may not be enough to keep you cosy and warm.

To make sure you are snug and comfortable during the flight, bring along a jacket, scarf, or even your own fluffy and cuddly blanket such as the OSIM uNap. Made of cushy NapLush microfabric, it will keep you warm for a restful sleep.

7. Wear loose, comfy clothing

Wearing tight clothes while you’re on the plane is a definite no-no, as this will restrict your blood circulation.

Also, note that while flying, gastrointestinal gas expands. You may find that jeans and pants with fixed waistbands will not allow your abdomen to expand naturally, which is not very comfortable. Stick to pants with elastic waistbands or drawstrings if you can.

8. Bring along a portable massager

To further ensure that your blood is circulating properly while you’re in flight, bring along a portable massager that can target multiple areas.

OSIM’s uPixie, for instance, is a USB pulse massager that has a whole suite of specialised massage programs and employs pulse massage to relieve aches and pain on the desired body area, while the uTingle is a lightweight, portable massager that loosens tense and knotted muscles effectively to ease body aches and boost overall circulation, during and after long hours of sitting. As a bonus, these will also help relieve you of your tiredness from all the walking that you’ll be doing while on your trip!

9. Get some peace and quiet with noise-cancelling headphones

When you’re on a plane, noises such as a wailing baby, noisy passengers, or even the loud rumbling of the plane’s engine may prevent you from getting your rest.

With noise-cancelling headphones, you can tune out the rest of the plane and choose to listen to music that relaxes you instead. But if you want complete silence, investing in good ear plugs could be your best option.

10. Bring your favourite snacks

When the food on the plane is not to your liking, or you’re feeling your tummy grumble and the food cart is nowhere in sight, having your favourite snacks stashed away in your carry-on bag or purse can make all the difference in your happiness level while in flight.